Need for Speed: Volkswagen Announces 1.4T Engine for Latest Jetta

The Volkswagen Jetta is set to get a whole lot faster. The European carmaker recently announced it’ll swap out the 2.0-liter engine,nicknamed the “two point slow,”with a brand new 1.4-liter TSI motor. Read on to learn more about this engine, how it will improve the 2016 Jetta, and what you need to know about the speedy new Volkswagen.

The New Engine’s Specs

Image via Flickr by Matt Deering

The Jetta’s new 1.4-liter TSI engine makes 150 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at only 1,500 rpm. Compare that to the original 2.0-liter engine, which produced just 115 horsepower and only 125 lb-ft of torque. To reach that torque, you needed to hit 4,000 rpm, and the maximum power came at 5,200 rpm.

The 1.4-liter engine is a forced-induction motor, while the 2.0-liter original engine was naturally aspirated. It’s made from aluminium and features a compact single-scroll compressor, exhaust manifold integrated into the head, an intercooler integrated into the injection-molded induction pipe, direct injection, variable intake and exhaust valve timing, toothed belt-driven dual overhead cams, and a 10.0:1 compression ratio.

The turbocharged 1.4-liter engine comes from the EA211 gasoline engine family, built principally by Skoda in the Czech Republic. These more compact and fuel efficient motors will replace Volkswagen’s old EA111 series.

The new engine’s so good that the more upmarket Jetta SE will make the switch down from its current 1.8 TSI engine to the new 1.4 TSI engine. The Jetta Sport model will be the only one with the 1.8 TSI under the hood.

Better Fuel Economy

The smaller but more powerful engine will give the 2016 Jetta better fuel economy than its predecessors. Official figures are yet to be certified, but the automatic Jetta is expected to get around 39 mpg on the open road, which is 13 percent better than the 2.0-liter engine. It also has a projected 7 percent improvement on the 1.8-liter motor.

When Can You Get It?

The new 1.4 TSI engines will be available in 2016 Jettas with five-speed manual boxes and six-speed automatic transmissions.

No official release datehas been announced, but the 2016 Volkswagen Jettas are expected to hit American dealerships in late 2015 or early 2016. No price has been announced either, but the price of the base model is expected to be comparable to the 2015 version. That should see the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta priced from around $17,000, which makes it more affordable than its market competitors.

“Volkswagen leads the industry with implementation of these engines in North America and we are excited that we are furthering our leadership with the introduction of the latest-generation EA211 engine in the Jetta,” Joerg Sommer, Volkswagen of America’s Vice President of Product Marketing and Strategy,said in a press statement.

With a brand new turbo-charged engine under the hood, the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta is bound to appeal to motorists who feel the need for speed.